Fraser Valley/Burnaby – Central Office, Burnaby, B.C. – A record number of former youth in care are pursuing post-secondary education as mature students with support from United Way British Columbia (United Way BC)’s Youth Futures Education Fund.
This includes UFV.
Between 2023 and 2024, the number of students over the age of 25, who are former youth in care, pursuing post-secondary education on tuition waiver and seeking support for basic living expenses or emergencies, grew a record 18.5%.
In 2025, United Way BC Youth Futures Education Fund will disburse $600,000 to 26 post-secondary institutions and the Native Education College to help support these dedicated students with basic living expenses.
Thanks to United Way BC’s ongoing advocacy, in 2023 the Province of BC expanded the tuition waiver to all BC former youth in care as part of StrongerBC’s Future Ready plan to make education and training more accessible and affordable. Many individuals formerly in government care who did not have the opportunity to pursue education when they left school are now able to do so.
University of the Fraser Valley + YFEF History:
TOTAL Dollar amount invested in students via YFEF in Fraser Valley since fund inception: $430,811.94
2023-24:
- TOTAL: 57 students
- # of Indigenous students: 17
- # of Mature Learners: 32